Spindle adapter

ABSTRACT

A spindle adapter for converting an approximately cone-shaped spindle to a cylindrically shaped spindle so that cylindrical tubes or spools can be rotated by the spindle to take up yarn, etc. A passage is formed axially through the adapter so that the adapter is insertable over a cone-shaped spindle, and slots are formed in the lower end of the adapter so that the adapter is expandable and contractable with the spindle.

United States Patent 11 1 Padgett, Jr.

1 Aug. 12, 1975 1 1 SPINDLE ADAPTER [76] Inventor: John Padgett, Jr., 102 W. May St.,

Calhoun, Ga. 30701 22 Filed: Mar. 11, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 449,860

[52] US. Cl 242/46.4; 57/129 [51] Int. Cl B65h 75/30; B65h 79/00 [58] Field of Search 242/46.2, 46.3, 46.4, 46.5, 242/46.6, 72, 72.1, 35, 68.1, 68.2, 129.71,

[56] 7 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,996,319 4/1935 Blair 242/46.3 UX 2,168,248 8/1939 Staufert 57/130 2,217,212 10/1940 Brandwoodm. 242/46.2 2,414,054 l/1947 McDermott 242/46.2 2,463,484 3/1949 Gelpke 57/129 2,464,024 3/1949 Carter et al 242/46.2

2,469,590 5/1949 Blount 242/46.6 2,488,879 11/1949 Pichette 57/130 2,746,689 5/1956 Berkepeis 242/46.3 3,214,107 10/1965 Atkin 242/46.4

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 318,342 9/1929 United Kingdom 242/46.3

Primary ExaminerStanley N. Gilreath Attorney, Agent, or FirmJones, Thomas & Askew 5 7 ABSTRACT A spindle adapter for converting an approximately cone-shaped spindle to a cylindrically shaped spindle so that cylindrical tubes or spools can be rotated by the spindle to take up yarn, etc. A passage is formed axially through the adapter so that the adapter is insertable over a cone-shaped spindle, and slots are formed in the lower end of the adapter so that the adapter is expandable and contractable with the spindle.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures SPINDLE ADAPTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the process of manufacturing yarn, yarn is usually manufactured and wound on a cylindrical tube or spool. The yarn is subsequently unreeled from its tube and put in a skein, where it is dyed, heat set, etc. The yarn. is taken from the skein and wound on a coneshaped tube or spool and shipped to a customer who usually manufactures cloth, etc.

In some cases it is desirable for the customer to receive yarn wound upon cylindrically shaped tubes instead of cone-shaped tubes. To provide yarn on cylindrically shaped tubes the yarn which has been wound on cone-shaped tubes must be back wound or transferred from the cone-shaped tubes to the cylindrically shaped tubes or in the alternative, the yarn must be initially taken from the skein and wound directly onto the cylindrically shaped tubes. Most equipment used for winding yarn is either constructed to wind yarn on cone-shaped tubes or on cylindrically shaped tubes, and if the winding spindle for cone-shaped tubes are to be changed to receive cylindrically shaped tubes, the cone spindle must be removed and replaced with the cylindrical spindle. The removal and replacement procedures for changing spindles requires a substantial amount of down time for the machinery and a skilled workman to make the conversion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described, the present invention comprises an adapter for converting a spindle suitable for driving cone-shaped tubes to a shape suitable for driving cylindrically shaped tubes. The adapter has a substantially cylindrically shaped exterior surface and defines a passage therethrough which is suitable for insertion about the external surface of the cone driving spindle. Slots are formed through the side wall of the lower end of the adapter and form tines or fingers arranged to expand outwardly about the collar of the cone spindle. O-rings are seated in annular grooves about the upper and lower ends of the adapter, and the lower O-ring spans the slots in the lower end of the adapter.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an adapter for converting a spindle for driving coneshaped tubes to a spindle for driving cylindrically shaped tubes, which is stable in operation, with the adapter being constructed so that it can be expediently connected to and disconnected from the spindle.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a spindle suitable for driving a cone-shaped yarn receiving tube, an adapter mounted on the spindle, and a cylindrical tube mounted on the adapter.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the adapter.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT Referring now in more detail to the drawing, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 illustrates the spindle adapter inserted over a spindle ll of the type used to rotate coneshaped tubes or spools, and a cylindrical tube or spool 12 mounted on the spindle'adapter. Spindle 11 is of conventional construction and is approximately coneshaped with a base 14, collar 15 and projection or blade 16. The projection 16 is approximately cylindrically shaped in its lower portion 18 and is tapered or conically shaped at its upper portion 19. The upper end 20 defines a downwardly extending internally threaded bore 21. Slots 22 are formed in the lower portion 18 and extend downwardly through the base 14, so that the lower portion of the spindle is expandable under the influence of a cam or other conventional expander (not shown). Collar 15 expands with the lower portion of the spindle. The lower surface 24 of collar 15 extends radially outwardly from the spindle 11, while the upper surface 25 is inwardly sloped from collar 15 toward the lower portion 18 of the projection 16 of the spindle to form an upwardly sloped shoulder.

Spindle adapter 10 has a cylindrically shaped external surface 26, a lower end 27 and an upper end 28. When the spindle adapter 10 is mounted on spindle 11, the longitudinal centerline 29 of the spindle adapter is coincident with the longitudinal centerline of the spindle 1 1.

A pair of annular grooves 31 and 32 are formed in the external surface 26 of the adapter adjacent the lower and upper ends, and endless bands or O-rings 33 and 34 are seated in the grooves. The O-rings 33 and 34 are elastic and are fabricated from a material having high surface friction, such as rubber.

A passage 35 is formed centrally through spindle adapter 10. The passage 35 is of approximately circular cross-sectional shape, so that the spindle adapter has an approximately annular side wall 36. The passage 35 begins at the lower end 27 of the adapter in a cylindrical large-diameter flange 38, extends upwardly from flange 38 and converges inwardly to form lower inwardly sloped annular shoulder 39, and then extends on upwardly from shoulder 39 toward the upper end 28. As the passage 35 approaches the upper end 28, a second upper inwardly sloped annular shoulder 40 is formed which extends into cylindrical bore 41 adjacent upper end 28. An aperture 42 extends through the upper end 28 and merges with cylindrical bore 41. A third inwardly sloped annular shoulder 43 merges cylindrical bore 41 with aperture 42. If desirable for fabrication purposes, the portion of passage 35 extending between lower sloped annular shoulder 39 and upper sloped annular shoulder 40 can be gradually tapered inwardly, or have intermediate sloped shoulders such as sloped annular shoulder 44.

A plurality of slots such as slots 46, 47, 48 and 49 are formed through the side wall 36 and extend from the lower end of the adapter upwardly beyond cylindrical flange 38, lower sloped annular shoulder 39, and lower exterior annular groove 31. The slots 46-48 are circumferentially spaced about spindle adapter 10 and extend axially along the length of the spindle adapter and are oriented radially with respect to the longitudinal centerline 29. The slots cause the lower end of spindle adapter 10 to be formed with fingers or tines 50, 51, 52, and 53. The tines are elongated and extend along the length of the spindle adapter. The slots 46-49 intersect the external annular groove 31, but the endless band or O-ring 33 spans the slots 46-49. While four slots and four tines have been illustrated, fewer or more slots and tines can be formed in the lower end of the adapter, if

desired. When more slots and tines are present in the lower end of the adapter, the tines will be more flexible.

Whenthe spindle adapter is to be used to convert the cone spindle 11 to a cylindrical spindle, the spindle adapter 10 is inserted downwardly over the cone spindle l 1, with the larger diameter cylindrical flange 27 of passage 35 being inserted about collar until the lower inwardly sloped annular shoulder 39 of passage 35 abuts and seats on the sloped shoulder 25 of collar 15. The upper end of spindle l l is centered in cylindrical bore 41 by upper sloped annular shoulder 40. An externally threaded cap screw 55 is inserted through aperture 42 at the upper end of spindle adapter 10 and its threads are engaged with the internal threads of the threaded opening 21 in the upper end of spindle 11. when sufficient torque has been applied to threaded cap screw 55, spindle adapter 10 will be properly seated on spindle 11, by the slope of the upper sloped annular shoulder 43 causing the upper end of the spindle adapter to be centered about the spindle and by the alignment of aperture 42 with the threaded opening of the spindle by the insertion of the cap screw, and with the flexing of the tines 50-53 outwardly about collar 15 of the spindle. The internal diameter of the large diameter cylindrical flange is slightly smaller than the external diameter of collar 15 of spindle 11, so that the downward insertion of spindle adapter 10 about spindle 11 causes tines 50-53 to flex outwardly as the flange passes over collar 15. This assures that the lower end of spindle adapter 10 is properly centered on the spindle. When the tines 50-53 flex outwardly, the elasticity of band 33 is such that it accommodates the outward flexing of the tines.

When a cylindrical tube 60 is inserted about spindle adapter 10, the tube is inserted downwardly about the spindle adapter, and the bands 33 and 34 make frictional contact with the internal surface of the cylindrical tube 60. Moreover, when the spindle l1 begins its rotation, its lower portion 18 is expanded by means of cams or other conventional expanders (not shown), causing the lower end of spindle adapter 10 to expand, which causes the lower band 32 to expand and create additional frictional contact with the lower inside surface of the cylindrical tube. Thus, cylindrical tube 60 will be rotated in unison with the rotation of spindle 11, and yarn can be laid on the spindle in the conventional manner.

While this invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinbefore and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spindle adapter for converting a spindle for rotating cone-shaped spools to a spindle for rotating cylindrically shaped spools, said adapter being approximately cylindrically shaped about its exterior surface with a lower end and an upper end and with its exterior surface defining an external approximately annular groove adjacent each end, an O-ring positioned in each annular groove, an approximately circular passage extending longitudinally through said adapter from said lower end to said upper end so that the adapter has an approximately annular side wall, said passage including an approximately cylindrical large diameter flange at said lower end and then converging inwardly to a first sloped annular shoulder of smaller diameter than said flange as the passage extends away from said lower end of the adapter, said passage extending toward the upper end of said adapter and converging inwardly to a second sloped annular shoulder of smaller diameter than said first sloped shoulder and then forming an approximately cylindrical bore adjacent said upper end, and said passage terminating in an aperture of smaller diameter than said bore, said aperture intersecting said bore and the upper end of said adapter, said flange, said first and second sloped annular shoulders, said bore and said aperture being concentric with the longitudinal centerline of said adapter, and a plurality of slots formed through the side wall of said adapter and extending from the lower end of said adapter axially toward the upper end of said adapter beyond said flange, said first sloped annular shoulder and the external annular groove adjacent said lower end and its O-ring, said slots being circumferentially spaced about said adapter whereby tines are formed in said side wall at the lower end of said adapter with the O-ring in the external annular groove adjacent the lower end of said adapter extending across said slots and tines.

2. The spindle adapter of claim 1 and wherein said O-rings are elastic and wherein said tines are movable radially with respect to the longitudinal center line of said adapter.

3. A spindle adapter for use with an approximately cone-shaped spindle having a lower radially protruding radially expandable collar with an inwardly sloped shoulder, said adapter including an approximately cylindrical exterior surface with first and second ends, a passage extending axially through said adapter and defining an approximately cylindrically shaped opening at the first end of the adapter for insertion about the radially expandable collar of the spindle and an inwardly sloped converging shoulder for abutment with the inwardly sloped shoulder of the collar of the spindle, said passage defining at the second end of the adapter a bore for insertion about the upper end of the spindle, a plurality of slots formed through the side wall of said adapter and circumferentially spaced about the first end of said adapter and extending along the length of the adapter beyond said cylindrically shaped opening and said inwardly sloped converging shoulder whereby a plurality of tines are formed as unitary portions of the adapter at the first end of the adapter and are radially expandable in response to the radial expansion of the collar of the spindle.

4. The spindle adapter of claim 3 and further including an annular groove formed about the exterior surface of said adapter at its first end, said annular groove being intersected by said slots, and an endless band positioned in said groove and extending across said slots.

5. A spindle adapter for converting a cone rotating spindle having an expandable portion for engaging the inside surfaces of cone-shaped spools to a shape for rotating cylindrically shaped spools, said adapter being approximately cylindrically shaped about its exterior surface and including a first end and a second end, a central passage extending longitudinally through said adapter from said first end to said second end so that said adapter has an approximately annular side wall. said central passage being of larger diameter at said first end of said adapter than at the second end of said adapter, a plurality of slots formed through the side wall of said adapter and extending from said first end 6 said adapter is insertable over a spindle with the larger diameter of the central passage of the adapter movable about the spindle until the flexible tines of the adapter engage the expandable portion of the spindle and the flexible tines are expandable outwardly in response to the expansion of said expansion of the spindle. 

1. A spindle adapter for converting a spindle for rotating coneshaped spools to a spindle for rotating cylindrically shaped spools, said adapter being approximately cylindrically shaped about its exterior surface with a lower end and an upper end and with its exterior surface defining an external approximately annular groove adjacent each end, an O-ring positioned in each annular groove, an approximately circular passage extending longitudinally through said adapter from said lower end to said upper end so that the adapter has an approximately annular side wall, said passage including an approximately cylindrical large diameter flange at said lower end and then converging inwardly to a first sloped annular shoulder of smaller diameter than said flange as the passage extends away from said lower end of the adapter, said passage extending toward the upper end of said adapter and converging inwardly to a second sloped annular shoulder of smaller diameter than said first sloped shoulder and then forming an approximately cylindrical bore adjacent said upper end, and said passage terminating in an aperture of smaller diameter than said bore, said aperture intersecting said bore and the upper end of said adapter, said flange, said first and second sloped annular shoulders, said bore and said aperture being concentric with the longitudinal centerline of said adapter, and a pLurality of slots formed through the side wall of said adapter and extending from the lower end of said adapter axially toward the upper end of said adapter beyond said flange, said first sloped annular shoulder and the external annular groove adjacent said lower end and its O-ring, said slots being circumferentially spaced about said adapter whereby tines are formed in said side wall at the lower end of said adapter with the O-ring in the external annular groove adjacent the lower end of said adapter extending across said slots and tines.
 2. The spindle adapter of claim 1 and wherein said O-rings are elastic and wherein said tines are movable radially with respect to the longitudinal center line of said adapter.
 3. A spindle adapter for use with an approximately cone-shaped spindle having a lower radially protruding radially expandable collar with an inwardly sloped shoulder, said adapter including an approximately cylindrical exterior surface with first and second ends, a passage extending axially through said adapter and defining an approximately cylindrically shaped opening at the first end of the adapter for insertion about the radially expandable collar of the spindle and an inwardly sloped converging shoulder for abutment with the inwardly sloped shoulder of the collar of the spindle, said passage defining at the second end of the adapter a bore for insertion about the upper end of the spindle, a plurality of slots formed through the side wall of said adapter and circumferentially spaced about the first end of said adapter and extending along the length of the adapter beyond said cylindrically shaped opening and said inwardly sloped converging shoulder whereby a plurality of tines are formed as unitary portions of the adapter at the first end of the adapter and are radially expandable in response to the radial expansion of the collar of the spindle.
 4. The spindle adapter of claim 3 and further including an annular groove formed about the exterior surface of said adapter at its first end, said annular groove being intersected by said slots, and an endless band positioned in said groove and extending across said slots.
 5. A spindle adapter for converting a cone rotating spindle having an expandable portion for engaging the inside surfaces of cone-shaped spools to a shape for rotating cylindrically shaped spools, said adapter being approximately cylindrically shaped about its exterior surface and including a first end and a second end, a central passage extending longitudinally through said adapter from said first end to said second end so that said adapter has an approximately annular side wall, said central passage being of larger diameter at said first end of said adapter than at the second end of said adapter, a plurality of slots formed through the side wall of said adapter and extending from said first end of said adapter along the length of said adapter toward said second end of said adapter, said slots being circumferentially spaced about said adapter whereby flexible tines each of approximately the same length and width are formed as a unitary part of said side wall at the first end of said adapter and extend along the length of said adapter and are movable radially outwardly at the first end of said adapter, whereby the first end of said adapter is insertable over a spindle with the larger diameter of the central passage of the adapter movable about the spindle until the flexible tines of the adapter engage the expandable portion of the spindle and the flexible tines are expandable outwardly in response to the expansion of said expansion of the spindle. 